Jakob Ingebrigtsen, a world-class middle-distance runner, exemplifies how a pacer supports elite performance by managing pace and reducing mental strain. Athletes use pacers to maintain optimal speed and focus on crucial aspects of their performance rather than continuously monitoring their timing. Similarly, leaders often face challenges due to moving too fast or too slow, impacting decision-making, team motivation, and alignment with strategic goals. Many leaders lack a pacer, leaving them vulnerable to pace-related pitfalls that hinder effectiveness.
Research involving 125 employees revealed that 93% observed leaders whose pace didn’t match situational needs, with 75% running too fast and 25% too slow, yet only 40% had a pacer. Pacers help leaders calibrate their speed—slowing down fast leaders to improve deliberation and learning or prompting slower leaders to accelerate decisions and action. They help maintain strategic focus, manage team energy, and foster alignment, reducing burnout and disengagement.
Effective pacers are trustworthy, knowledgeable, and understand the organizational context. They may come from various roles: senior executives, coaches, peers, chiefs of staff, or trusted direct reports. Choosing the right pacer depends on leadership stage and pacing challenges. For rising leaders, mentors or experienced peers serve well, while veteran leaders might benefit from independent board members or coaches.
The best pacers enable leaders to develop internal rhythm and judgment, eventually reducing the need for external pacing. They empower leaders to conserve cognitive resources and energy, focusing on priority decisions and pacing sustainable performance. Proper use of a pacer is about enhancing, not replacing, a leader’s self-awareness and accountability, ultimately helping leaders win the race with greater purpose and control.
